by Richard Senate

Remarkable as it is to imagine, once what is today Ventura County was listed as part of the newly formed Territory of Colorado. No, not the present state of Colorado but a newly formed southerly section, split off from the State of California in 1859 and designated as the “Territory of Colorado.”  This was one of many plans to break California into two or more sections that started in Mexican Times and continues to this very day.    This attempt came closest to success in the chaos of the approaching Civil War and was the brainchild of a remarkable Californian named Andre Pico, the younger brother of Pio Pico, the last Mexican Governor of California under the Mexican Republic.   Andre Pico was the owner of the San Fernando Valley.

In the Mexican-American War of 1846-8 he commanded the Mexican California Militia lancers and pro-Mexican Native Americans at the Battle of San Pasqual.  He was serving as acting governor when he surrendered to Col. John C. Fremont at the Treaty of Cahuenga pass ending the fighting in California.  Andre Pico became an American citizen with full rights and served as member of the California Constitutional convention in Monterrey that formed the new State in 1850.

Andre Pico put forth a Bill in the Assembly to split off the southern counties of the state at the 36th parallel as “the territory of Colorado.”  He sighted cultural differences between the peoples of the north and south.  The act was passed in 1859 and a local referendum held where 75% of the Southern California voters supported the action. The Governor John B. Weller (a Douglas Democrat) signed the “Pico Bill” and sent it to Washington DC.

The  election of 1860 disrupted everything. The New Republican Party put forth “Honest Abe” Lincoln, as the Democrats split into two parties, supporting Douglas and the firebrand secessionist     Breckenridge (had the Democrats stayed united, they would have beaten Lincoln and perhaps delayed the Civil War). Republicans in California won the state by less than a thousand votes, Southern California went for Breckenridge with Santa Barbara County (Ventura was part of Santa Barbara at the time) going for Douglas. (Ventura cast all her votes for Lincoln).   The looming Civil War and attempts at peace  caused the Pico Bill to die in Congress.. When fighting, started after the shelling of Fort Sumter in April of 1861, Andre Pico and other supporters swore allegiance to Abe Lincoln and the Union and the movement to split California became another footnote in history. But such an action could well have changed the history of the west.

Koolaburra by UGG, in partnership with Ashley Tisdale and Frenshe, celebrated International Women’s Day with a $40,000 philanthropic donation to Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV).

“Koolaburra by UGG is proud to be a supporter of Women’s Economic Ventures this International Women’s Day,” said Lorie Pointer, GM of Koolaburra by UGG. We’re honored to be able to support their mission of providing a network for women to realize their dreams.”

WEV community connects women entrepreneurs from multiple business categories to share insights and tips with each other, including how they are handling business challenges, adapting to new hybrid working conditions, and achieving work-life balance. WEV believes that economic empowerment is the foundation that allows women to achieve their potential in all aspects of life – career, family, and community.

Throughout the pandemic, WEV met the rising demand for business education, mentoring and advisory services, community meetup events as well as entrepreneurial funding via online offerings and webinars. Looking ahead to recovery mode, WEV is increasing marketing and ecommerce education, expanding financial literacy/business finance resources, and increasing Spanish language offerings to support the rapidly growing number of Latina entrepreneurs.

WEV CEO Kathy Odell shared that “Women’s Economic Ventures is incredibly grateful to receive this generous donation. The timing could not be better. More than 2.5 million women entrepreneurs started businesses in 2021 – more than double the rate of previous years. These entrepreneurs are committed to a new way of doing business that celebrates today’s multi-dimensional woman business owner. WEV is thankful to be able to immediately deploy this gift to deliver services that support the wave of emerging women entrepreneurs.”

by Jill Forman

Foster Library re-opens. Friends Bookstore re-opens

Due to a water leak, Foster Library has been closed. Both the library and bookstore re-opened last week.

Friends of the Library Book Sale a big success

On Saturday March 19 the Friends had a book sale at the Vons parking lot on Telegraph and Victoria. We appreciate Vons for allowing us to have periodic sales at that location. We made over $1500, impressive considering the books are priced from 10 cents to $3. Thanks to all the folks in Ventura who came by.

Special gratitude to Boy Scout Troop 155; the many volunteers who helped load and transport, unload and arrange; and to the “truck dudes” without whom the sale would not happen: Clyde Hofflund, David Bayer, David Young, and Woody Bretz. And all the folks at the warehouse, who receive donated books, organize, price, shelve and pack them. That work goes on all year.

All earnings go to support Ventura’s libraries.

Friends have a car in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

First-hand report from FOL board member Joanne Fields

Shamrocks, shamrock streamers & posters decorated the car. Three library student volunteers (Jack & Luke Armitage; twins, and Gisela Salazar) walked the route and handed out 300 lollipops & flyers to people along the route. They helped decorate and were a great help. Philip, Librarian at Foster came through with flying colors despite the water leak that closed the library. Mary Olson and I rode in the car.

Rescheduled Music Event

In the last column we learned about a music presentation “Lyrical Literature,” originally scheduled for Saturday March 26 at Foster Library. Unfortunately it had to be cancelled due to the water leak. It has been rescheduled for Saturday May 21 at 2 p.m.

Movie at Museum of Ventura County April 23 and Rising from the Ashes Home Tour

The Ventura County Library Foundation and the Museum of Ventura County are partnering with the Ventura County Library to present an upcoming special event.

At 2pm on Saturday, April 23, 2022, the Ventura County Library will host a screening of Radu Sava’s film Not If But When: Wildfire Solutions. This event will take place at the Museum (100 E Main St, Ventura, CA 93001). The film, which was awarded Best Environmental Visions Film at the Sacramento International Film Festival, discusses how wildfires are becoming a global issue, and California is one of the places that is hit the hardest. The film is based on interviews with leading experts from state, federal, and grassroots organizations, water agencies, community partnerships, and more. You can register to attend this event by visiting bit.ly/vclfire.

This film event will complement the Rising from the Ashes tour of homes rebuilt after the Thomas Fire, which will be presented by the Ventura County Library Foundation on Saturday, April 30, 2022. For more information about this home tour please visit www.vclibraryfoundation.org.

Book groups

Foster Library – continues on hiatus for another month

Hill Road: April 26 at 5 p.m. –

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elizabeth Tova Bailey

New group – Wise Owls (childrens’ books for grownups)

April 12 at 5 p.m. – When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin

Question: Any idea what is being planned for this property? There has been no public notice posted on the property. Seems like another demolition.

Thanks
TubaTim Hansen

Answer: From Jennifer Buckley City of Ventura.

Thank you for your question.

The Carl’s Jr. property on Thompson Boulevard is currently undergoing a remodel. We are currently updating our development map to include that project and you can always explore other development projects throughout the City at www.CityofVentura.ca.gov/Permits.

FASTSIGNS® of Ventura, a local sign and visual graphics provider, was recognized as a top performing center in the FASTSIGNS network out of more than 750 locations worldwide at the 2022 FASTSIGNS/SIGNWAVE International Convention held in Grapevine, Texas.

Owned by Saurabh and Madhu Bajaj, FASTSIGNS of Ventura was presented with the Award for Highest Efficiency, which recognizes the US Center for running a successful and productive FASTSIGNS franchise.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as a top performing center in the FASTSIGNS network of over 750 locations worldwide,” said Saurabh Bajaj, President, FASTSIGNS of Ventura. “This award reflects our entire team’s hard work and dedication to helping businesses and organizations solve their visual communications challenges in our community every day.”

“We are thankful for the support of our customers and look forward to helping companies of all sizes achieve their goals in 2022 using visual communication solutions,” Bajaj said.

To learn more, visit fastsigns.com/264 or call (805) 658-1001.

Dianne Lake was a beautiful and innocent wide eyed seventh grade student – whose hippie parents abandoned their traditional suburban lifestyle to join a group called, The Wavy Gravy’s Hog Farm Commune in Tujunga, California. Along the way her parents met a man named Charles Manson. They were so impressed by him and, as unbelievable as it sounds, they turned their young daughter over to Manson.

Dianne was just 14. What happened next is a personal odyssey that is hard to believe. She travelled with Manson’s raggle-taggle band of runaways and social misfits until they settled at the notorious Spahn Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, California. She became a chattel, a slave to Manson’s sexual whims and part of his depraved world of mind-blowing drugs which culminated in a series of horrendous, high profile Los Angeles murders in the Summer of l969.

While never involved with any murders, Dianne was arrested and her life was almost destroyed. Today, in her late sixties, she is a devout, church-going grandmother, who lives in Ventura County. She will tell her own unbelievable story of survival and redemption in the Museum of Ventura County’s newest episode of “Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Dianne Lake” on Thursday March 24. Her story sounds like pure fiction but it’s all true.

Museum members who register for this event (either in person or via Zoom) will be entered into a drawing to receive an autographed copy of Ivor Davis’ “Manson Exposed: A Reporter’s 50-Year Journey into Madness and Murder“. Become a member now and register for this event for your opportunity to receive the autographed book.

Proof of vaccination will be required on arrival for in-person attendees. Masks will not be required for this event. If you would like a mask, we’re happy to provide one for you.

Registration for Zoom closes at 4:30pm on March 24th.